Assalamu alaikum
Subhan’Allah! All are quite exquisite and require great attention to detail. Personally, however, I have better ways to spend my time.
Art is not a waste of time though. It’s good to be good in using one’s hands in making beautiful things. Or are you referring somehow to the statue-side of this and how it’s seen in Islam?
Assalamu alaikum
Art has its place, I am not disputing that! My point is that, in my opinion, while I appreciate the detail, skill and difficulty involved in the exhibits, in the obvious extended time required to create the above figures one could better utilize that time to get closer to Allah azza wa jall.
I make no excuses, I am a faqir, I enjoy spending time doing things with a religious theme. I also do things to relax, go camping, hiking and numerous other things, however, I try to always remember what and who I am, and where I am going.
I don’t think it’s Muslim who created the above exhibits, but let’s assume it’s done by Muslim. Why would you think that spending time on them (that was a competition apparently) did by any means make them get far from God? Or that it was done on the expense of other religious activities? As you said it yourself, one spends some time on 3ibada (worshiping), and some time for pleasure. The latter doesn’t necessarily mean that you forget everything about your creator.
Assalamu alaikum
You win!!! I do not want to have a religious discussion in this open forum.
Allah azza wa jall says “wa an laysa lil-insan illa ma sa’a, wa anna say’yahu saufa yura’a”
That man can have nothing but what he strives for, That (the fruit of) his striving will soon come in sight
Sura an-Najm
I don’t want to win just for the sake of winning. There is no harm in getting into a small religion discussion. We are not against religion related discussions in the board.
I agree with you, each person will be rewarded for what she is striving for. I still do not see any harm in spending some time on artistic activities as long as one does not disobey God, nor neglect his religious duties.
art take a major place in Islam because Allah says He appreciate and created Beauty.
But Islam forbids figurative art.
Is that true?
Assalamu alaikum kounouz
There is ikhtilaf (disagreement) among some Islamic scholars concerning figurative art. Without question, any representation of Nabi Muhammad, alaihi salat wa salam, is strictly prohibited. On other images and representation is where the disagreement appears. However, representation of an animate creature upon anything, in a respectful or humiliated deployment, on the ground or elsewhere, even an imagined creature such as a horse with wings, to be among the major sins (kaba’ir). This is the position of the overwhelming majority of Islamic scholarship.
Assalamu alaikum Simply Moroccan
Each person does what they were created to do. While we do have free-will, to make choices, we are also, at the same time, following Allah azza wa jall’s plan. As I stated, there is nothing generically wrong with art. There is also nothing generically wrong with sports, most work related activities – if the occupation is legal -, there is nothing generically wrong with most things people do in life.
Viewing things from an Islamic perspective, activities become troublesome when they distract one from their religious responsibilities. For an artist, an athlete, an office worker or a college professor, the occupation/career is not relevant, when their profession detracts from their religious responsibilities, or they begin to ignore their responsibilities due to being so deeply involved that they forget, then it is for this that they will be faulted.
Basically, it all comes down to intention. It is as Nabi Muhammad, alaihi salat wa salam, told us, “Actions are only by intentions, and each man has only that which he intends…” Now the people of knowledge, i.e. Imam Malik, Sufyan ath-Thawri, Imam al-Awza’i, Ibn Mubarak, rahmatullahi alaihi aj’ma’in, and others have said that “every action not intended for the sake of the face of Allah ta’ala is invalid and fruitless in this world and the next world.”
My point all along was only that one should not neglect their religious responsibilities. If people comply with that and have an honorable and legal livelihood I have no difficulties with what they do.
Personally, however, I am not so predisposed. I am happier sitting in a zawiyya studying or in a discussion of fiqh, or some other activity trying to focus on religion. Recall, I am old, in the twilight of my life. I am a geriatric, concerned with how I have lived my life and trying to do those things which will gain Allah azza wa jall’s favor. My focus is different from most people. To understand me you must remember this.
Wa Salam Tehala frasak